Oil Ministry debunks ‘misleading claims’ about E20 fuel, reiterates usage won’t affect vehicle insurance validity

“Old images and videos are being recirculated in an apparent attempt to garner viewership through sensationalism and create unwarranted concerns regarding ethanol-blended fuel. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas reiterates that the Ethanol Blending Programme is scientifically validated and continuously monitored by the Government,” an official statement began.

It also noted that implementation was constantly monitored by the government in consultation with oil marketing companies, automobile manufacturers, fuel testing agencies and other stakeholders. The Ministry insisted that no widespread issues of engine failure or vehicle breakdown attributable to ethanol blending have been reported since the introduction of E20 petrol.

The ethanol blending program was launched in 2003 as India sought to reduce crude oil imports, enhance energy security and promote environmental sustainability. The E20 blend currently available for vehicles was rolled out in 2023 — with E85 and E100 launched recently for certain cars.

Oil Ministry fact checks viral claims

The Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas touched upon several bizarre allegations that have gone viral in recent weeks. It also noted that some people were creating and sharing videos that claimed sugarcane juice was being mixed directly with petrol to form this blend. The clarification came in response to footage of ants near a vehicle fuel tank.

“A claim currently being circulated relates to the hygroscopic nature of ethanol. It is common knowledge that the entry of water into the fuel tank is undesirable for any fuel, whether ethanol blended or otherwise. Modern vehicles are equipped with design features and safeguards to prevent water entry into fuel tanks,” the PIB statement added.

The Oil Ministry also clarified the composition and properties of E20 fuel in its statement — noting that there was no sugar left in the processed product that would attract insects. Ethanol is made from a variety of feedstocks, such as sugarcane juice, molasses, broken rice and maize. But the properties of ethanol are vastly different from those of the input feedstock, as it has undergone a series of processes that lead to the fermentation of sugars present in the feedstock.

“Recently, a video showing ants near a vehicle fuel tank was widely circulated on social media. In response, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) clarified that fuel-grade ethanol used for petrol blending is produced through fermentation and distillation processes that eliminate residual sugars from the final product. Further, fuel ethanol contains denaturants that are repellent to insects. There is no identifiable attractant associated with E20 fuel that would cause ants or other insects to congregate around vehicle fuel caps. Therefore, claims suggesting a link between E20 fuel and ant attraction have no scientific basis and are not supported by scientific evidence,” the Petroleum Ministry added.

‘E20 use has no impact on car insurance’: Oil Ministry

The Ministry also debunked claims that E20 fuel would affect vehicular insurance policies. It confirmed that claims linking E20 fuel use to insurance invalidation had been clarified with relevant stakeholders and were found to be incorrect.

“Ethanol blending is a globally accepted practice and is successfully implemented in several countries, including the United States, Brazil and Japan. Brazil has long adopted higher ethanol blending levels, with E27 serving as the standard petrol blend,” it said.